January 2nd, 1942 (FRIDAY)
FRANCE: During the night of 2/3 January, 27 RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons and Stirlings attack the German fleet at Brest and nine Whitleys and Manchesters bomb the port area at St. Nazaire.
NETHERLANDS: During the day, 12 RAF Bomber Command Hampdens conduct "roving patrols" of the Dutch and German Coasts but only one aircraft bombs, the Leeuwarden Airfield.
GERMANY: U-603 is commissioned.
U.S.S.R.: German Chancellor Adolf Hitler forbids the German Ninth Army to make any further withdrawals, "not one inch of ground."
On the central front in Russia, the Soviet Army achieves a breakthrough at Rshev.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The British tug HMS Daisy founders in the eastern Mediterranean while on passage from Alexandria, Egypt, to Tobruk, Libya.
NORTH AFRICA: The Axis troops on the Egyptian border at Bardia surrender, under pressure of the South African 2nd Division and British 1st Armoured Brigade, XXX Corps, British Eighth Army. The British capture 7,000 troops.
THAILAND: The American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) raid a Japanese air base in Thailand, one of the first offensive air strikes by the Allies in Asia. Security restrictions require the leader of the raid be identified only as "Scarsdale Jack." During the coming months, he will become famous. He is John Van Kuren Newkirk, a former Navy pilot from Westchester County, New York, U.S.A.
MALAYA: Japanese force reaches Telok Anson via the Perak River and go ashore, greatly increasing the threat to the Indian III Corps. The 1st Independent Company and Indian 3d Cavalry Squadron defending this area, are forced back through the Indian 12th Brigade Group, which in turn comes under severe pressure. Although Japanese attacks on the Kampar position are still being contained, it is decided to withdraw to the Slim River after nightfall because of the precarious situation along the coast. A Japanese landing attempt at Kuala Selangor is frustrated by artillery fire late in the day.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Japanese troops
occupy Cavite naval base and the capital of Manila as US forces withdraw to the Bataan peninsula.
One battalion of the Japanese 1st Formosa Regiment and two of the 47th Infantry
Regiment make the triumphal march into Manila, watched only by a curious few.
Japanese troops also take over Cavite Naval Base and find it a total wreck from
their own bombs. Japanese aircraft begin daily attacks on Corregidor Island in
Manila Bay. The defenders on Luzon complete a successful withdrawal through San
Fernando, the final elements clearing the town at 0200 hours, and organize
delaying positions along a 10-mile (16 kilometer) front from Porac to Guagua.
Holding this line are the 21st Division [Philippine Army (PA)] on the west, its
left flank covered by 26th Cavalry (Philippine Scouts) at San Jose, south of
Porac, and the 11th Division (PA) on the east. The Japanese attack the west
flank in the vicinity of Porac in the afternoon and force the 21st Division to
fall back. Meanwhile, Japanese east of the Pampanga River succeed in crossing
the river and move to San Fern ando, where they join with Japanese from
Angeles. There are now 80,000 Philippine and U.S. troops and 26,000 civilians on
Bataan Peninsula. The troops are worn out and beginning to suffer malaria. There
are food supplies to feed 100,000 men for 30 days and the troops are put on half
rations. But, morale is high because the troops expect a huge relief convoy to
arrive at any moment.
PACIFIC OCEAN: In the Java Sea, the 7,395 ton Dutch freighter SS Langkoeas, formerly the German freighter SS Stassfurt, departed Soerabaja, Java, Netherlands East Indies yesterday for the Middle East. Today, she is torpedoed by Japanese submarine HIJMS I-58 during this evening north of Bawean Island. Bawean Island is located between Java and Borneo about 82 nautical miles (152 kilometers) north of Surabaja. The crew (24 Dutch, 55 Chinese, 12 Java-natives) immediately began abandoning ship, and the submarine approaches and begins machine gunning everyone in the boats. There are three survivors, one Dutch, one Chinese and one Javanese. They are brought aboard the submarine and after being questioned, they are thrown back into the water. The three manage to survive and make it to a small island where they are found by a fisherman. They are later picked up by a Dutch (PBY) Catalina and brought to Soerabaja, where they tell their story.
AUSTRALIA: Major General George H. Brett, Commanding General-Designate of the U.S. Forces in Australia (USFIA), sends a message to General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., stating that he sees little hope of effectively reinforcing the Philippine Islands until a large airbase can be established at Darwin, Northern Territory, and a large supply and repair depot established at Townsville, Queensland.
CANADA: Revised Flower Class (increased endurance) 1942-43 are ordered - HMCS NORTH BAY, OWEN SOUND, LINDSAY, FRONTENAC, ATHOLL, RIVIERE DU LOUP, LOUISBURG and NORSYD.
Minesweeper HMCS BLAIRMORE is laid down at Port Arthur, Ontario.
U.S.A.: President Franklin D Roosevelt announces the beginning of the Liberty Ship program, i.e., the construction of 200 merchant ships of a standardized design. Lieutenant General Hugh A. Drum, Commanding General First Army, tentatively selected for a field command in China, arrives in Washington, D.C., where he confers with various military leaders and finds opinions as to role of U.S. in China widely divergent.
The first organized lighter-than-air units of World War II, Airship Patrol Group One (ZPG-1) and Airship Squadron Twelve (ZP-12) are established at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey. The USN is the only military service in the world to use non-rigid airships--also known as "blimps"--during the war.
Submarine USS HOE is laid down.
Escort carrier USS CORE is laid down.
NORTH ATLANTIC: SS WAZIRISTAN is sunk by U-134 in position 74.09N, 19.10E - Grid AB 6362.